Device for dispensing parts, for example rivets, which are delivered at the outlet of a storage means such as a vibrating bowl, operating method thereof and adapted vibrating bowl

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device (D) for dispensing parts (R), e.g. rivets, which are delivered at the outlet of a storage means such as a vibrating bowl ( 100 ), said outlet ( 110 ) comprising a displacement path for the parts (R). The inventive device is characterized in that it comprises: a command unit ( 200 ) which authorises the individual passage of parts (R) being delivered by the storage and dispensing means ( 100 ) into a conduit (C), a control unit ( 300 ) which orients each part (R) passing through the conduit (C), and a suction means which is intended to drive the already-moving parts (R) individually into the conduit by accelerating the part (R) which is most affected by the vacuum. The invention also relates to the corresponding operating method and to the vibrating bowl which is adapted to one such device. The invention is suitable for dispensing parts such as rivets.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of vibrating recipients and notablyto the adjustments allowing for improved orientation and distribution ofthe parts released at the outlet of storage means and of unitarydistribution such as vibrating recipients.

2. Related Art of the Invention

In the prior art there is a plurality of vibrating recipient typedevices, such as the one disclosed in the American document No.6,257,392, which use the same principle, that being the transmitting ofvibrations to parts stored inside the recipient so that they follow aprecise path allowing them to be released from said recipient, one afterthe other and most commonly touching the preceding part as well as thesucceeding part.

Nevertheless, these recipients cannot propose, within the scope of thestorage and distribution of asymmetric parts, systematic and reliableorientation of the part at the outlet of the recipient. The fact thatthe parts follow each other and generally touch both the preceding andsucceeding parts adds to the difficulty of implementing a setorientation. However, this set orientation is especially beneficialnotably for riveting applications for which the rivets must be deliveredaccording to a predefined orientation, to a new storage device or ariveting device. Indeed, although it typically has a rotationalsymmetry, the rivets are also generally asymmetric with differentdiameters from one end to the other as they are typically made of ashank and a head. Some rivets, such as blind rivets have a shank oneither side of the head, each shank serving a different function.Moreover, it is particularly important that the rivets are all orientedin the same manner so that they are delivered for example in respects totheir direction of travel with their head to the rear of the rivetingdevice.

Indeed, disorientation can result in poor riveting and possibly thedamaging of the device used in the step following this preliminarydistribution step at the outlet of the vibrating recipient. The everpossible risk of disorientation and damage to an actuator such as adrilling/riveting unit has led the designers of this type of device tomultiply the control means along the path of the rivet down to the unit,which has increased the cost of such installations.

There are also several devices for turning a part inside a displacementinstallation for parts such as rivets, however, down to this day theproper positioning or orienting of parts such as rivets was onlycorrectly detected at the end of displacement, that being in thevicinity of the drilling/riveting unit as it proves to be very difficultto detect the correct orientation of a rivet.

Among these devices, the one proposed in the American document No.5,385,434 which discloses a distribution device from a storage means toan effector, of parts such as electric connector type parts which aredifferent to rivets and most of all blind rivets. This device isremarkable in that it comprises:

distribution means connected to a distribution channel and implementedby a high-pressure jet allowing to create a differential pressureproducing a suction effect resulting in the displacement on the insideof a channel of parts from the storage means to the effector,

unitary supply means located upstream of the distribution means andimplemented via a rotary selector,

orientation means located upstream of the distribution means andimplemented via a groove in which the parts are displaced which can onlybe oriented in one direction.

This device has the advantage of using compressed air to replace the useof gravity so as to supply the effectors and orient the parts for theeffectors. This displacement of air also allows to displace the parts tobe distributed from the storage means, which is not a vibratingrecipient, to the distribution means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Based on this fact, the applicants carried out research to overcomethese aforementioned inconveniences by proposing a solution likely toefficiently avoid disorientation of the parts released at the outlet ofthe storage means and of unitary distribution such as the vibratingrecipients.

This research resulted in the designing of a distribution device forparts, notably rivets, released at the outlet of the storage means, suchas vibrating recipients that are particularly advantageous and of simpleconstruction, guaranteeing a properly oriented distribution of thereleased part.

According to the invention, the distribution device for parts, notablyrivets released at the outlet of a means for storage such as a vibratingrecipient which in the vicinity of its outlet has a displacement pathfor said parts, is remarkable in that it is constituted of:

a control module authorizing the unitary intake of parts released bysaid storage and distribution means on the inside of a channel,

a control module for orienting each part traveling through the channel,and

a suction means intended to drive the moving parts on the inside of thechannel in a unitary manner by accelerating the part which is under thegreatest depression.

This feature is especially advantageous in that it proposes thedetecting of the orientation of the parts once they have been releasedfrom the vibrating recipient and prior to passing through the devicethat performs the following step, that being of distribution. Theobtaining of reliable information allows to direct the part or rivetdirectly towards the following step in the same orientation as it wasintroduced into the channel or be directed towards a turning device inorder to ensure it is turned and have the desired orientation.

The monitoring of the passing of parts prevents exceeding the capacityof the means for controlling the orientation.

Additionally, such a device can count the number of parts for which itmonitored their orientation, which constitutes a particularly beneficialfunction in the framework of an intermediary processing step of thedistributed parts.

The displacing of the parts inside the device is not ensured by amotorised means of displacement but by the displacing of air andtherefore the exercising of depression in the channel via the suctionmeans. The choosing of this displacement means is especially judiciousin that it optimises the unitary passing of the parts inside the device.Indeed, the suction will only affect the part nearest the channelleaving the following part which is subject to lesser depression unmovedas it is further away and obstructed by the first part. The optimisingof the airlock created by the control module at the inlet of the channelguarantees a unitary passing of the parts before the control module andconsequently efficient detection of the orientation of said parts.

The distribution device of the invention differs to that proposed in theprior art in that it is located at the outlet of a vibrating recipientor an equivalent which, by definition, ensures the displacement of theparts it holds towards its outlet. Consequently, the parts received bythe device of the invention are already moving. Therefore, the suctionhere does not put the parts into displacement but accelerates thedisplacement of the parts located at the far end of the outlet of thedisplacement path to be travelled along and guarantees a unitary intakeinto the distribution device itself subject to the vibrating of therecipient. The distribution device for parts released at the outlet of avibrating recipient therefore fulfils other functions than thoserequired by a distribution device of parts stored in a more typicalrecipient. It is the result of a permanent desire of the applicantssearching to control the orientation of parts as far upstream aspossible of the displacement circuit of the latter, that being in thevicinity of the storage means which, in this case, is a means ofvibration.

The suction generated in the invention is therefore a means ofaccelerating the displacement of some parts already in motion, thissuction guarantees that the parts under the greatest depression will bethe first and only to enter the distribution device of the invention.

According to another particularly advantageous feature of the invention,the device of the invention is attached to the vibrating recipient towhich it is associated. Thus, the device judicially uses thedisplacement of the parts typically performed by a vibrating recipientto bring the parts to the inlet of the channel.

The invention also relates to the operating method of such a device aswell as the vibrating recipient appropriate for such a device. Thisvibrating recipient, bearing a displacement path for said parts in thevicinity of its outlet, is remarkable in that it is preformed, in apermanent manner, to receive the device of the invention.

The fundamental concepts of the invention being disclosed above in theirmost simplistic manner, other details and feature will become clearerupon reading the following description and in respect to the annexeddrawings, given by way of non-restrictive example, an embodiment of adistribution device, of its operating method and of an appropriatevibrating recipient, according to the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a perspective view of an embodiment ofthe distribution device according to the invention attached to avibrating recipient.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a perspective view of the embodimentillustrated in FIG. 1 of the distribution device on its own.

FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d are schematic drawings of a partialsectional top view of an embodiment of the device according to theinvention illustrating its operating functions.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of a partial sectional top view of anembodiment of the device according to the invention illustrating itsoperating functions using blind rivets to be distributed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in the drawings in FIGS. 1 and 2, the distribution devicefor parts of rotational symmetry, indicated through by D, notably ofrivets indicated by R, released at the outlet of a storage means such asa vibrating recipient indicated by 100 which has a displacement path forsaid parts R in the vicinity of its outlet 110, is constituted of acontrol module 200 authorizing the unitary intake of the parts Rreleased by said storage means 100 on the inside of a channel C and by acontrol module 300 for orientating each part R passing through thechannel C.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the device D isattached to the vibrating recipient 100 to which it is associated.

According to the invention, the device D comprises a suction means (notshown) aimed at directing the parts R to the inside of the channel C andensuring their displacement on the inside. The parts R travel along thepath illustrated by the arrows indicated by F which are here parallel tothe axis of the channel C.

Indeed, as illustrated and according to the invention, the longitudinalaxis of said channel C is placed in a coaxial manner to the axis of theparts R. Thus, the diameter of the channel is define so that the biggestdiameter of the parts with rotational symmetry likely to be distributedin the recipient 100 can pass through.

According to the invention and as illustrated in greater detail in FIG.2, said control module 200 is constituted of a first detection means(not shown) and of a movable element 210 located in front of the inletof the channel C and whose displacement for the purpose of closing offthe inlet of the channel C is controlled by the detection via said firstdetection means of the intake of a part R on the inside of the channelC. According to the invention, the parts R arrive by means of vibrationsfrom the vibrating recipient at the inlet of the channel C which is putunder depression with the aim of sucking the parts R. Thus, thedisplacement towards the device D is ensured by the vibrations of therecipient then on the inside of the channel in a unitary manner thanksto the depression created by the suction means.

To guide the passing through of the parts R towards the inlet of thechannel C, the control module 200 advantageously comprises a ramp 220upstream of the inlet of the channel C and extending beyond thedisplacement path preformed in the vibrating recipient 100 in thevicinity of its outlet 110.

Once a part R has entered the channel C, it is detected, the controlmodule 200 actuates the movable element 210 in the direction of thearrow A in order to obstruct the inlet of the channel C guaranteeing theunitary passing through of the parts R on the inside of the device Davoiding any risk of jamming or poor detection of the orientation of thepart R.

According to the invention, the movable control element 210 at the inletof the channel C is actuated by a cylinder type means for displacing211, the movable element 210 constituting the far end of the same shankof the latter (211). According to the illustrated embodiment, the axisof the shank of the cylinder 211 is perpendicular to the axis of thechannel C, the exiting of the shank (arrow A) thus obstructing the inletof the channel C, the inserting of the shank freeing it.

According to the invention, said control module 300 is constituted of asecond detection means 310 placed right next to a retractable positionretention means 320 of the part R inserted into the channel C, theabsence or presence of a bit of the part R from the side of the positionretention means 320 where the detection means 310 is located thusprovides information relating to the orientation of the part R.

The far end corresponding to the outlet of the channel C is fitted witha connection 400 allowing to connect any routing means for thedistributed parts and therefore the orientation has been detected.

The operating of the device of the invention is illustrated in greaterdetail in the drawing in FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d.

As illustrated, said position retention means 320 is constituted of atwo-prong fork 330 lying on either side of the axis of the channel Cwhich it obstructs and whose gap determines the diameter of the bit,likely to pass through, of the part R inserted into the channel C andcoming into contact with the prongs 330 of the fork.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the position retention fork 330is actuated by a cylinder type means for displacing 311 (see FIG. 2).The exiting of the shank allows the two prongs of the fork 330 toobstruct the channel C and the inserting of the shank allows to free thepassageway. Thus, the movable control element at the inlet of thechannel C as well as the position retention fork are each actuated bythe cylinder type displacement means.

According to the invention, the above described operating method of thedevice associated with a means for turning the parts R locateddownstream of the distribution device D, consists, with the suctionmeans in running mode and the fork 330 obstructing the channel C asillustrated in FIG. 3 a:

in opening the inlet of the channel C by retracting the movable element210 as illustrated in FIG. 3 b thus activating the depression,

in letting the sucked part (which will be indicated by R1 for greaterclarity) pass through which, already moving, is accelerated towards thechannel C via suction;

in closing off the channel C via the returning of the movable element210 when the passing through of the part R1 is detected in the channel C(as illustrated in FIG. 3 c),

in detecting via the detection means 310 the presence or absence of ashank of part R1 downstream of the fork 330 once R1 is in contact withthe prongs of the fork 330,

in retracting the fork 330 so as to let the part R1 pass through,

in channelling or not channelling the part R1 towards the turning meansaccording to the desired orientation of the parts, and

in obstructing the channel C by means of the fork 330.

FIG. 4 illustrates an application for which the device is particularlywell adapted and useful. Indeed, although the rivets with typical headscan be oriented for example via gravity thanks to the imbalance of themass and/or volume between their shank and their head, it is not thecase for blind rivets which have a shank of different diameter on eitherside of the head. The draw bar is that which has the smallest diameter.Thus, in order to distribute the blind rivets in a forward motion(relatively in the forward direction of the parts R illustrated by thearrow F) by means of the draw bar, the gap in the fork 330 is calculatedso as to let the smallest diameter of the draw bar to pass through (asillustrated) and to prevent the largest diameter from passing through.Thus, once the fork 330 is obstructing the channel C, if the detector300 detects the presence of a shank, it directs the part directly to theactuator that performs the following step and not to the turning device.On the contrary, if the detection module 310 does not detect thepresence of a shank, then the draw bar is at the rear (relatively in theforward direction of the parts R illustrated by the arrow F) requiringit to be channelled towards the turning device.

FIG. 1 also illustrates an embodiment of a vibrating recipient 100according to the invention bearing a displacement path for said parts Rin the vicinity of its outlet 110 and remarkable in that it ispreformed, in a permanent manner, to receive a device D constituted of acontrol module 200 allowing to intake, one at a time, the parts Rreleased by said recipient 100 on the inside of a channel C, via acontrol module 300 for orientating each part R passing through thechannel C and via a suction means aimed at directing the parts R to theinside of the channel C, the displacement path of said parts R beingcoaxial to said channel C.

We understand that the device, the method and the vibrating recipient,which have just been described above and represented, were planned to bedivulged rather than restricted. Of course, other layouts, modificationsand improvements can be made to the above example without leaving thescope of the invention such as is defined in the claims.

Thus, for example, the device of the invention can be materiallyseparated from the vibrating recipient and simply remain connected by aparts delivery channel. Indeed, the device of the invention issufficiently close to the outlet of the displacement path of thevibrating recipient so that the suction can accelerate the displacementof the first part located at the outlet and sufficiently distanced sothat the vibrations of the vibrating recipient are not directly felt bythe distribution device of the invention.

1. A distribution device (D) for parts (R) released at the outlet of ameans for storage (100) which means for storage (100) in the vicinity ofits outlet (110) has a displacement path for said parts (R), wherein thedistribution device is constituted of: a control module (200)authorizing the unitary intake of parts (R) released by said storage(100) and distribution means on the inside of a channel (C), a controlmodule (300) for orienting each part (R) traveling through the channel(C), and a suction means intended to drive the moving parts (R) on theinside of the channel (C) in a unitary manner by accelerating the part(R) which is most affected by the vacuum.
 2. The distribution device (D)according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal axis of said channel (C)is placed in a coaxial manner to the axis of parts (R).
 3. Thedistribution device (D) according to claim 1, wherein said controlmodule (200) is constituted of a first detection means and of a movableelement (210) located in front of the inlet of the channel (C) and whosedisplacement for the purpose of closing off the inlet of the channel (C)is controlled by the detection via said first detection means of theintake of a part (R) on the inside of the channel (C).
 4. Thedistribution device (D) according to claim 1, wherein said controlmodule (300) is constituted of a second detection means (310) placedright next to a retractable position retention means (320) of the part(R) inserted into the channel (C), the absence or presence of a bit ofthe part (R) from the side of the position retention means (320) wherethe detection means (310) is located thus provides information relatingto the orientation of the part (R).
 5. The distribution device (D)according to claim 4, wherein said position retention means (320) isconstituted of a two-prong fork (330) lying on either side of the axisof the channel (C) which it obstructs and whose gap determines thediameter of the bit, likely to pass through, of the part (R) insertedinto the channel (C) and coming into contact with the prongs (330) ofthe fork.
 6. The distribution device (D) according to claim 3, whereinthe movable control element (210) at the inlet of the channel as well asthe position retention fork (330) are each actuated by the cylinder typedisplacement means (211 and 331).
 7. The distribution device (D)according to claim 1 of the same type as the one associated with avibrating recipient (100), wherein it is attached to the vibratingrecipient (100) to which it is associated.
 8. A method for operating adistribution device (D) for parts (R) released at the outlet of a meansfor storage (100) which means for storage (100) in the vicinity of itsoutlet (110) has a displacement path for said parts (R), wherein thedistribution device is constituted of: a control module (200)authorizing the unitary intake of parts (R) released by said storage(100) and distribution means on the inside of a channel (C), a controlmodule (300) for orienting each part (R) traveling through the channel(C), and a suction means intended to drive the moving parts (R) on theinside of the channel (C) in a unitary manner by accelerating the part(R) which is most affected by the vacuum associated with a means orturning the parts (R) located downstream of the device (D), wherein,with the suction means in running mode and the fork (330) obstructingthe channel (C), it comprises: in opening the inlet of the channel (C)by retracting the movable element (210), letting the sucked part (R1)pass through; closing off the channel (C) via the returning of themovable element (310) when the passing through of the part (R1) isdetected in the channel (C), detecting the presence or absence of ashank downstream of the fork (330), retracting the fork (330) so as tolet the part (R1) pass through, channeling or not channeling the part(R1) towards the turning means according to the desired orientation ofthe parts, and in obstructing the channel (C) by means of the fork(330).
 9. (canceled)
 10. A distribution device (D) for rivets dispensedat the outlet of a vibrating recipient storage means (100) which in thevicinity of its outlet (110) has a displacement path for said parts (R),wherein the distribution device is constituted of: a control module(200) authorizing the unitary intake rivets released by said storage anddistribution means (100) on the inside of a channel (C), a controlmodule (300) for orienting each rivet traveling through the channel (C),and a suction means intended to drive the rivets on the inside of thechannel (C) in a unitary manner by accelerating the rivet which is mostaffected by the vacuum.